1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to integral recording head suspensions, and more particularly, to a low noise integrated conductor magnetic recording head suspension fabricated as one single structure using semiconductor processes and a method for making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Moving magnetic storage devices, especially magnetic disk drives, are the memory device of choice. This is due to their expanded non-volatile memory storage capability together with a relatively low cost. Accurate retrieval of the stored information from these devices becomes critical, requiring the magnetic transducer to be positioned as close to the storage media as possible. Optimally, the transducer may actually contact the media.
Magnetic disk drives are information storage devices which utilize at least one rotatable magnetic media disk having concentric data tracks defined for storing data, a read/write transducer for reading data from and/or writing data to the various data tracks, a slider for supporting the transducer adjacent the data tracks typically in a flying mode above the storage media, a suspension assembly for resiliently supporting the slider and the transducer over the data tracks, and a positioning actuator coupled to the transducer/slider/suspension combination for moving the transducer across the media to the desired data track and maintaining the transducer over the data track center line during a read or a write operation. The transducer is attached to or is formed integrally with the slider which supports the transducer above the data surface of the storage disk by a cushion of air, referred to as an air bearing, generated by the rotating disk.
Alternatively, the transducer may operate in contact with the surface of the disk. Thus the suspension provides desired slider loading and dimensional stability between the slider and an actuator arm which couples the transducer/slider/suspension assembly to the actuator. The suspension is required to maintain the transducer and the slider adjacent the data surface of the disk with as low a loading force as possible. The actuator positions the transducer over the correct track according to the data desired on a read operation or to the correct track for placement of the data during a write operation. The actuator is controlled to position the transducer over the desired data track by shifting the combination assembly across the surface of the disk in a direction generally transverse to the data tracks.
The development of thin film magnetic recording heads and suspensions have become the subject of increased interest, especially in the area of high speed, high density recording and retrieval of digital computer information on magnetic media.
Conventional thin film magnetic recording heads are produced using suitable material know in the art such as alumina-titanium-carbide (AlTiC) or silicon for example, and are suspended on stainless steel flexures using physical and mechanical methods. Twisted pairs of copper wire or parallel, single-layer integrated circuits, often referred to as copper traces, are used to electrically connect the magnetic recording head to the recording channel.
Known methods for fabricating single-layer integrated circuits on suspensions typically consist of sequentially depositing thin film layers of conductive, and insulative materials on a rigid substrate. The delineated layer of conductive thin films provides electrical interconnection between the heads and the power supply/addressing network which is used to activate the drive. Finally, insulator thin film layers (polyimides, SiO.sub.2) are used to electrically isolate the various thin film conductor layers. The various thin film layers are typically deposited by a variety of techniques including vacuum deposition (sputtering, evaporation), electroplating, and spin-coating (e.g., for spin-on insulator materials).
Although it is known that twisted pairs of copper wire will suppress common mode noise, electrostatic and magnetic, by approximately 30 to 40 db, the current integrated circuit suspension designs do not permit cross-over of the integrated copper circuits or traces for noise reduction. The resulting integrated head/suspension assemblies are subjected to undesirable common mode noise.
Furthermore, conventional heads also require attachment to the suspensions and the wires for electrical contact must be bonded to the head assembly. These processes increase the size of the head/suspension assembly as well as contribute significantly to the cost.
It can be seen then that there is a need for a low noise magnetic recording head suspension fabricated as one single structure using semiconductor processes.
It can also be seen that there is a need for a low noise, low mass-recording head and suspension fabricated as one single structure using the semiconductor processes.